Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Let's Fight $30 Land Deals, Arvada!

(Arvada, CO) In the wake of a proposed $30 sale of publicly-owned land worth millions of dollars to a private developer by the Arvada Urban Renewal Authority, a coalition of Arvada citizens has launched a grassroots charter amendment petition to mandate that such deals be approved by the voters.

In the past two years citizen-initiated proposals reforming Urban Renewal Authorities have been approved by voters in Wheat Ridge and Littleton. The Arvada amendment would:

• Require voter approval for sales and property tax subsidies over $2.5 million to private business• Require voter approval for city-owned land sales valued over $1 million to private business

The controversial $30 Land Deal is the proposed sale of nine acres of publicly-owned prime real estate worth millions of dollars on the west side of Wadsworth Bypass at 56th Avenue – for $30. The plan by Arvada Urban Renewal Authority (AURA) with Denver developer Trammell Crow would include retail and 248 apartment units in a six story structure that would rise forty feet above the grade of Grandview Avenue in Arvada's Olde Town. The deal would also rebate to Trammell Crow 100 percent of sales and property taxes collected on the improved property until 2034.

Citizen outrage over the taxpayer give-aways has largely been met with equivocation from members of the city council. Arvada's mayor has been the public spokesperson for the plan and is a self-appointed member of the Arvada Urban Renewal Authority (AURA) Board of Commissioners as well as having appointed all of the other member of that board.

If sufficient signatures are collected during the 90 day petition circulation period an election could take place early next year.